Part 1: Guide to Creating Products Linked to Social Entrepreneurship

The following post is by Mershard Frierson, founder of Mojo Body Fuel, a startup that puts a portion of its proceeds towards planting trees and international aid organizations. Mojo Body Fuel is working in Surigao Del Sur, Philippines and Port-au-prince, Haiti. Mershard is 21 and will be graduating from Fisk University in Nashville in May 2010.

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Studies show that people are much more likely to switch brands if the product influences or relates to social causes. The following is part 1 of a guide that can help you link your product with social entrepreneurship. It's not only good for business, but good for the world.

The first step is creating or finding a product that you can link to a social cause.

1.    Look at communities in rural areas and look at their problems: nutrition, clothing, electricity, money, etc.

2.    See what’s already out there in your desired field: nutrition, clothing, electricity, micro finance.

3.    After you have decided on a need, create an innovative product that can be bought by developed nations (America, Europe, etc.) that has remote ties to the need. I.e. Mojo body fuel, for example, sells a nutritional supplement and helps rural communities with nutrition and sustainability.

a.    How to create a product

i. Resell a product from that area

1.    Purchasing a product at wholesale overseas can be either extremely easy or impossible. When buying clothing and non-perishable items its gets relatively easy to buy and not have to worry about customs and overseas taxes etc.  Now when you get into perishables, fruit, specialty foods, that’s where we have problems. You may have to get special licenses through U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP), (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_outreach/diduknow.xml), but in the end if you want it bad enough you can do it. This site is also helpful(http://www.ehow.com/how_2306757_apply-import-license.html)

ii.                      Create a Product

1.    “Create” sounds so much harder than it actually is. If it’s a mechanical product you can go through www.elance.com to get professional designs based on your description.  When creating make sure to keep in mind your objective, impacting the community abroad, so your technology may be a cross over like with Tomsshoes.com where they donate the same shoes that they sell.

iii.                    Create a Service

1.    Look for a need and fulfill it, look at all of your talents and the things you associate yourself with. Create a service, maybe a cell-phone shop where you fix cell-phones and have people buy a certain accessory where you in turn donate a GSM phone with solar cell battery charger to your community.

Ok, Now that you have the product, time for connecting the dots abroad.

1.    Cold Calling

a.    If you are not comfortable with cold calling random people overseas and pitching what you want to do, you will have major problems with working international because unless you are bill gates or bill gate’s nephew, you will not just be able to go over to rural India and just look, you have to call first.  So the first resource for calling is www.alibaba.com, most of the times these products are made by persons who live in rural areas.  In making these international calls download Skype, here you can call china for less than 2 cents a min. Also many people abroad have this software so you can talk for free if both parties have it- enjoy!

2.    Getting an introduction

a.    If you are not comfortable cold calling, you are somewhat safe but limited.  You can contact an organization to partner with them or work with a non-profit here in the states or Non Governmental Organization.  [Personally if you are interested doing any work in the Philippines or in the Asia pacific, give me a call- 615-828-8830].  With the non-profits and Non-Governmental Organization who are doing work abroad that you can contact about any type of donations, however, most people are moving away from companies that simply donate money to a cause, they want you to get your finger nails dirty.

3.    Fly!

a.    If you have the money or you have to the opportunity to study abroad while in college check out the country of interest.  Before going be sure to briefly look over the language and get a general grasp because most people in rural areas may not speak English. 

Overall if you want to embark on the road of social entrepreneurship it will be the best decision you ever make. You can only imagine when you make your first donation to your community that you impact. Your outlook on life will be different yet more mature.

Mershard JB Frierson

Chief Tree Planter

mjbfrierson@mojobodyfuel.com

Cell: 615-828-8830

Mojo Global (www.mojobodyfuel.com)

Information about writer:

Mershard is a sustainable engineer streamlining the sustainable process in foreign and domestic communities.  Currently his company Mojo Global is raising money by selling their flag ship product Mojo Body Fuel and is working in Surigao Del Sur, Philippines and Port-au-prince, Haiti.  He is 21 and graduating from college in May 2010.

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